“Oh, I think now is perfect.” Addison chimed in. I slapped her leg, getting up to walk over to Cole.
I wrapped my arms around his waist as I pushed up onto my tip toes, kissing his neck. “I have some bad news, I kind of ate your dinner. I didn't think you were going to wake up and I didn’t want to waste it. Well, that and Addison ate my dinner, because she is a huge heifer.” I said, turning back to her and sticking my tongue out teasingly.
“Are you trying to change the subject?” He whispered, grinning at me as he playfully kissed my lips.
“Kind of, why don’t you throw me a bone, I wasn’t really expecting this, we just got you out of the hospital. I think our first priority should be you fully recovering before we go making any major decisions.”
Addison coughed, “chicken shit,” behind me. Spinning around on my heels I glared at her, giving her my best shut your mouth look.
She smiled, lifting her shoulders and widening her eyes. Gosh, I loved her and she was my best friend, but sometimes she didn’t know when to just shut up. “Addison, weren't you just leaving? I’m sure Case is ready for you to get home.”
She laughed loudly, pretending to get up off the couch like she was already nine months pregnant. “I suppose I’ll go if you’re kicking me and my unborn child out of your luxurious penthouse suite.” I’m sure she could see the steam pouring out of my ears as I followed her to the door.
“Bye, Addison,” Cole yelled from the living room, chuckling loud enough for the both of us to hear him.
“I’m so kicking your ass. You never know when to shut up!”
“Oh, get over it, you know you want to move in, you just don’t have the balls to tell him.” I stood there quietly for a minute, was she right; was I ready to move in with Cole or did I still need some time? Damn her for even putting me in the predicament of having to think about and potentially discuss my options.
Yanking me into a hug, Addison squeezed me tight. “Quit over thinking it, just go with the flow. You love him, he loves you. Case and I love you both, and we want to see you two happy, with everything you’ve both been through you deserve it.”
I sighed heavily. “I’ll think about it, but I’m not going to bring it up to him. If he wants me to move in with him then he’s got to make it happen. I’m not going to force it. I have my house and I love it there, so I’m not in a rush.”
She smiled, sauntering towards the elevator as she looked over her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he brings it up.” She laughed and jumped in the elevator, trying to escape the slew of expletives that she knew were about to fly out of my mouth.
Damn her.
Walking back into the living room, I could see Cole sitting at the bar in the kitchen, “Babe, would you come in here for a minute,” he called out to me.
I froze in my tracks;
please, don’t bring up us moving in together
, I thought to myself as I forced my feet to move my body towards the kitchen. “What’s up,” I asked reaching for a bottle of water as I leaned against the counter.
“So you ate my dinner and after all of that sex we had earlier, I’m pretty starving.”
I smiled as a plan popped into my head. “I did and it was absolutely delish, might I add, but if you can go without dinner I think I have a great dessert idea in mind.” Opening the refrigerator door, I pulled out the can of whip cream and held it up, smiling at Cole.
He flew out of his seat and had my body pinned against the counter before I could even get the lid off of the can of whip cream. Laughing, he pulled the can from my hand, set it on the counter and had my shirt over my head, I couldn’t even playfully resist. Grabbing the can he flipped it upside down and pressed the white dispenser, until cold whip cream covered my chest, right below my collar bone. Gripping my ass Cole picked me up and set me on top of the counter, so I was face to face with him and more assessable to his mouth. Tracing his tongue over the whip cream on my chest sent chills down my spine, he was sure to get all of it, before slowly bringing his lips back to mine so I could taste the sweetness on his mouth.
“Much better than dinner,” he said as his lips pressed against mine. Without giving me time to agree, he had me leaned back and a trail of cream was being drawn from my breasts to my just below my belly button. Making his way down my body, he smiled up at me as he reached the bottom of the trail, a devilish grin spreading over his face as his hands began to tug at my shorts, “Now, for the real dessert.”
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
“Wow, you look absolutely beautiful.” Cole’s arms wrapped around my waist as I looked over myself in the mirror, pleased with the outfit I’d found on my quick shopping trip the other night. I’d stumbled upon a sale at my favorite boutique and came across a long sleeved sparkly gold cocktail dress, it was just right for the Cartwright’s annual Christmas party.
“Thank you.” Turning in Cole’s arms, I glanced over my shoulder to admired the way the dress dipped down to my lower back, exposing every inch of my bare back.
“You know, between the back of this dress and the length I feel like more skin is showing than covered.” I smiled at his observation and planted a light kiss on his neck, inhaling my favorite smell of his cologne.
“I figured that’d be a good thing?” Leaning down I stepped into my matching six inch strappy stilettos, running a hand up the full length of my leg, teasing Cole on my way back up.
“You’re fucking killing me, babe!” Cole exclaimed as he ran his hand through his tousled hair.
“Hello!” Teresa shouted when she opened the front door to Cole and me. It was the first time everyone had the chance to see Cole since he’d been released from the hospital. She pulled both of us into a hug, and then we were quickly being passed around the grand living room from person to person. Everyone in attendance was focused on hearing how Cole was doing since the accident.
After we’d been passed to the seventh group of guests, I saw Addison and Casey sitting in the living room. Releasing Cole’s hand, I excused myself as he continued talking to his group of adoring fans. Grabbing a glass of champagne from a server I walked over to see my friends.
“Well, hello there preggers,” I whispered to Addison, pulling her into a hug.
“Shhh! You know I haven't made the announcement, yet. Case won’t let me until we’re past the first trimester.”
I smiled, pointing to her faux cocktail. “Hence, the fruit punch cosmo.” We all laughed. Leaning in I hugged Casey. “Case, how have you been, making sure this one has everything her little heart desires?”
He smiled and kissed the top of my head. “Of course, we wouldn’t want our favorite princess to want for anything, now would we?” Addison scrunched her nose and shot us both a mean glare.
After an hour or so of mingling, Cole finally made his way over to me, Addison and Casey. “Well, well, look who it is, the main event,” Case joked with Cole.
Wrapping an arm around my waist, Cole pulled me closer to his side as he responded to Casey, “Main event in the flesh,” he laughed as he shook Casey’s hand. “Addison, you’re looking lovely, how’s that cocktail?” Cole asked, winking at her while we all laughed.
The party went on for hours before guests finally started making their way home. I could tell Cole was getting tired. “You ready to call it a night?” I asked, kissing his cheek.
He smiled down at me, “getting there, why don’t we start making the rounds to tell everyone goodbye?”
Teresa and Theo were the last one’s we needed to say goodbye to before leaving, other than Addison and Casey. “We are getting ready to head out; we had such a wonderful evening, as usual.” I said, hugging the both of them together.
“You’re leaving?” Teresa looked confused.
“Yes, it’s been a long night for Cole, and we should probably get home.” Teresa looked up at Theo, and then back to Cole and me. “Addison has obviously already had a case of pregnancy brain, she didn’t tell you we were doing Christmas tomorrow morning?”
Each year on Christmas morning the Cartwright’s and my family would get together and we’d all open gifts, have breakfast, and spend the day together. Addison and I would play with all of our new toys and we’d watch old home videos of past Christmas’. After my parent’s passed, we continued the tradition and this year would be no different.
“Theo and I figured since you and Addison both have Cole and Casey you would want to spend the actual morning of Christmas together, so we decided we’d have our family Christmas tomorrow instead, is that okay?”
Looking to Cole, he nodded. “Well, it looks like we’re in.”
Teresa clapped and whispered to the both of us, “We’ll get the rest of the guests on their merry way, so we can get ready for the pj swap.”
Directing Cole into my bedroom at the Cartwright’s, he collapsed onto my bed and looked at me puzzled. “Pj swap, should I be worried about this?”
Laughing, I lay down next to him and grabbed his hand. “It’s a family tradition, well it was my family's tradition, but once my mom explained it to Teresa she adopted it, also. Each year on Christmas Eve, before I’d go to bed my parents would give me a new pair of pajamas, that way when my parents took pictures on Christmas morning and ‘sent them back to Santa’ I wouldn’t be dressed in old pj’s, rather a pretty new picture worthy pair.”
Cole chuckled, “Only you and Addison would worry about what your pajamas looked like on Christmas morning.”
Sitting up, I planted a kiss on his lips. “You say it like it’s a thing of the past, we’re still worried what we look like in our pictures to Santa.” I winked, getting up off of the bed, slowly pulling my dress over my shoulders. Cole’s eyes watching intently as it slipped down my legs and I stood there in front of him in nothing but six inch stilettos and a pair of lace panties.
Walking back over to the bed, I climbed on top of his lap and leaned down towards his lips and whispered, “Fortunately for us, pajamas are optional at the current moment”. One of his hands gripped my ass, as the other worked its way into my hair, pulling my lips right onto his. Reaching for his collar, I quickly began working my way down the buttons, until I could free him entirely. The dim moonlight shining into the room lit up the muscles on his chest and I admired them for a moment, soaking it all in before he flipped me onto my back and took my mouth again, this time grazing my lower lip with his teeth, as his hands made their way towards my panties.
“You sure this is okay, here?” It was cute that he was nervous to have sex in the Cartwright’s house.
I didn’t give myself time to think about it, I didn’t care where we were I just wanted him. “Yes, it’s fine” I exclaimed breathy.
Just as his hands began tugging at my panties the door flew open and Addison was standing there staring at the two of us. Cole jumped off of me and was standing at my bedside like a statue, looking from me to Addison and back to me. I quickly grabbed his shirt and pulled it over my shoulder, as I jumped up and scurried over to the door where Addison was standing. “What in the hell, can’t you knock?”
She snickered, “Oh, you know if mom finds you two in here like this, you’re in big trouble!” Leaning around me she peered at Cole. “You too, buddy. They don’t even like me and Case getting frisky in their house, and we’re married.” I laughed as I looked back at a shocked Cole. Pushing Addison out of the door, I closed it just in time for her to yell, “Put your clothes back on, it’s time for pajamas.”
“Is it just me, or can we never catch a break? I think I’ve had to talk myself down more times since I’ve met you then I’ve had to do my entire life,” he said, looking down at his pants.
Giggling, I pulled off his shirt, tossed it at him and ran into my closet to grab a pair of yoga pants and a sweater. When I came out of the closet Cole was buttoning his shirt. Taking his hands off of his shirt I began buttoning the remaining buttons and when I finished I kissed his lips lightly. “I’m sorry she interrupted, I promise I’ll make it up to you. Come on, let’s go see what kind of pajamas we got this year.” Grabbing his hand I pulled him down the stairs and into the living room where Teresa, Theo, Casey, and Addison were all sitting with hot chocolate, waiting on the two of us with newly wrapped pajamas in hand.
The very next morning came way too quickly, as my cell phone chimed at 6:15 A.M.
GET UP, SANTA CAME LAST NIGHT! ;)
Grunting at my phone, I shook Cole. “Babe, wake up, Santa came last night.” Laughing at what I’d just said, I shoved my phone in his face, so he could see the text Addison had just sent. He grunted as he drug himself out of bed, taking me along with him.
Teresa had a wonderful spread prepared for breakfast. We all ate, until we could consume no more, and then it was time to open presents. Like two little giddy children, Addison and I ran into the living room and plopped ourselves down directly in front of the Christmas tree, waiting on the rest of the clan to follow us in.
Casey looked at Cole laughing. “Do you see what we have to look forward to with these two? They’re worse than children.”
Teresa finagled her way through them and took a picture of the two of us sitting in front of the tree in our brand new pajamas, like she had done every year for as long as I could remember. “Alright girls, make sure everyone has a gift before you go tearing through all of them.” Teresa knew if she didn’t remind us, we’d have everything ripped open in a matter of minutes.
Sitting between Cole’s legs in piles of wrapping paper and presents, I leaned back onto his chest and looked over at Case and Addison, and then Teresa and Theo, taking in all of my family. “This has been the best Christmas I have had in years. I love y’all so much.”
Everyone smiled in agreement as Theo stood and walked towards the television, flipping it on before saying, “Now for another tradition, it wouldn’t be Christmas without some old home videos.” He pressed play on the DVD player and before we knew it a young Addison and Reagan were dancing and singing Christmas songs in front of the giant tree.
I relaxed further into Cole’s chest and watched as childhood memories came flooding back. The tears beginning to flow as I heard my parent’s voices in the background and before I knew it my mom and Teresa had joined the two of us on screen and we were all four singing and dancing. My mom was twirling me around in her arms before my dad came and joined in.
Gosh, I missed them so much.